As cultured as a Simon Elliot square pass

Brunner Out in NY, What’s Next

Red Bulls 2nd round draft pick is out of New York’s preseason camp and has returned to Columbus. Brunner has ties to the area as he was born in Dublin, OH and went to Ohio State. He is currently under contract with Miami FC of USL1.

The question now becomes, is he a good match for the Crew and should they pursue him. It certainly isn’t a bad idea to invite him into camp. He was a prospective 1st round pick last year and has some talent. The Crew could use defensive depth. Looking into the future, Chad Marshall is looking to Europe and will probably transfer sooner rather than later. Danny O’Rourke has the skills to fill in on the wings if needed.

Having another big and talented central defender would help if injuries, transfers, or national team call up’s take a Crew starter. Brunner would have to compete with recent draftees Paul Gerstenberger, an outside defender, Chris Clements, and trialist Anthony Peters for one of the very limited roster spots. He also would probably want a Senior Roster spot, and his rights may be held by both Miami FC and New York (on the MLS side), so getting him signed is not as easy as coming to terms. Worth a shot though.